Apparatus for use in filling containers



L. A. BECKER ET AL APPARATUS FOR USE IN FILLING CONTAINERS Filed April 4. 1929 da M Jan. 13, 1931.`

f A 2 n Y BYy H Patented Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOGAN A. BECKER AND JOHN M. MUNSON, F LAKEWOOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DOBECKMUN COMPANY, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO APPARATUS FOR USE IN FILLING CONTAINERS Application led' April 4, 1928. Serial No. 352,424.

The present invention has for its object the construction of a device which is to be used in the filling of bags or containers of flexible material. The apparatus here shown is particularly designed and adapted for use in filling envelopes or bags made of light, fragile, transparent, cellulose sheeting, commonly known as cellopl1ane, with cigars. There has been designed a form of container or bag made of this material which ts a cigar rather snugly and with which considerable diiiiculty has been experienced in filling the containers due to the material of which the container is composed and to its construction.

The apparatus shown herein will hold the mouth of the bag distended while the cigar is being inserted. It will expedite the lilling of the containers and will preventy injury to the containers'or conte-nts.

It will be understood that the invention has been described as particularly adapted and intended for the specific purpose of loading cigars into bags or containers of cellulose sheeting. The invention is by no means conlined to this particular use, but may be extended to the filling of all types of containers where similar problems have been encountered. The invention is, therefore, not limited to the loading of cigars in the envelopes or bags. Neither is it limited to exact conformity with the detailed structure as variations and modifications may be made in embodiments of the invention without dedifferent forms 'of containers.

In the drawings, in which a single manual loading unit is shown:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a unit shown partially in section with a loaded cigar envelope or wrapper thereon; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

The device is mounted upon a platform 1, l

from which rises the adjustable standard 2, the upper end of which carries the ringshaped holder 3. Above the holder 3 is located the casing 4 which is spaced from' the upwardly extending flange 5 on the hold- ,er to provide chamber 6. Supported on the but the sides are bulged or curved outwardly slightly. The opening is provided with the sharp corners so that the sharp corners of the container will be held in position. The shapeof the passageway and the location of the openings will be dictated by the particular container or cover which is being operated upon.

The chamber 6 is a vacuum or suction chamber and is connected by a pipe 14 with the intake of a'centrifugal air p-ump 15 operated by a motor 16.- The chamber 9 is a pressure chamber and is in communication with the discharge side of the pump by a pipe A20.

In the operation of the device, the contalner or cover .is dropped into the holder, the bottom of the container resting on the platform 1 and the upper edge of the container being thereby located between the passage 7 and the series of openings 10. In this position the downwardly directed jets of air from the openings 10 will expand or open up thev container so that' the walls thereof are in sufficiently close contact with the opening 7 whereupon the suction exerted through the o enmg will pick up and hold the sides of t e container against the inner surface of the passageway. It is not necessary that the 1ct or Jets of air under pressure be mainroo tained during the entire operation of loading, it being essential only that the air under pressure open the container to a suicient extent so that the sides will beengaged by the suction. The air under pressure may then be discontinued. While the container is held in position by the suction, the contents are placed in the container. In the easev of a cigar 21, the top of the cigar is below the holder 3 so that the lledcontainer'may be removed from beneath the holder.

The adjustment which has been provided adapts the device for different sizes of containers and cigars.

It will be appreciated that the invention. comprises the invention as applied to bags,

covers or containers generally and is notl limited tothe specific object stated herein. It is also to be noted that the exact location ofthe several elements may be changed and other modications and changes may be made in the details of the invention without departure from the scope thereof as set forth in the claims. l

What is claimed is:

. 1. In a device for facilitating the loading of containers, the combination of a support, a holder located above the support having a passageway therein, means for exerting suc- ,tion on the surface of the passageway, and a nozzle in the passageway having means for directing a jet of air downwardly into the passageway, said means being located above the point where the suction is applied.

'2. In a loading device, the combination of means for supporting the upper end of a flexible container, means for applying suction ata point near the upper edge of the container to hold the container against vthe support, and a nozzle located above the said point and having a passage so located as to directa jet of air into the upper end of the container.

3. In a device for spreading and filling of flexible containers, the combination of means for simultaneously exerting suction on the exterior of the container and means for directing a jet of air into the mouth of the container. f

4. In a loading device for spreading flexible containers, the combination of means for directing a jet of air into the open end of a container to spread the same and suction means operating upon the side-walls of the container to hold it in expanded condition.

5. In a loading device for filling flexible containers, the combination'of a holder havingl a. passageway in 'the shape of the mouth of the container in expanded condition, spaced chambers located adjacent the passageway and communicating therewith, means for withdrawing air from one of the chambers and supplying air under pressure tothe other, and means fo'r locating the container with the mouth thereof in the passageway between the chambers.'

6. In` a loading device for fillin flexible containers, the combination of a ho der having a passageway in the shape of the mouth of the container in expanded condition,

Vspaced chambers located adjacent the passageway and communicating therewith, means for withdrawing air from one of the chambers and supplying air under pressure to the other, means for locating the container with the mouth thereof in the passageway between the chambers, and means for directing the air under pressure towards the mouth of the container.

7 In a device for the purposesset forth, a lholder having a passageway therein of crosssection corresponding to the mouth of a iiexible container in expanded condition, the holder having a suction opening in the passageway, means for locatinglthel container with the upper end thereof at the suction opening, a series of apertures located outwardly of the suction opening andvdirected toward the suction opening, and means for forcing air under pressure through the apertures.

LOGAN A. BECKER. JOHN M. MUNSON. 

